Alberta may reopen clinics next week; flu forces surgery delays

Jason Fekete and Michelle Lang, Calgary Herald11.18.2009

Moms fill in the information on clipboards at the Stampede grandstand as they awaited their turns to get their children's shots after clinics re-opened for certain groups in Alberta, Nov. 5.Ted Rhodes
/ Calgary Herald

Jennifer Barry gets her H1N1 flu shot from nurse Melissa Mantai October 27 at the Town and Country Centre in Airdrie. The wait for shots yesterday was about two hours at the Airdrie site.Ted Jacob
/ Calgary Herald

A long line of Calgarians outside of the clinic at the Avenida Shopping Centre in Calgary, Alberta on October 26 wait to get their H1N1 vaccines.Leah Hennel
/ Calgary Herald

CALGARY - As Alberta hospitals open more critical-care beds and postpone surgeries to accommodate serious H1N1 influenza cases, the province's health minister said Monday he hopes the swine flu vaccination program could open to the public next week.

Health officials said the second wave of the pandemic is continuing to strain hospitals, although cases in the community appear to be slowing in settings such as schools.

A total of 830 Albertans have been hospitalized since the beginning of the outbreak and the province's medical superboard said it has recently had to open about 20 extra intensive-care beds to accommodate the volumes.

Dr. Gerry Predy said hospitals have also had to postpone some elective surgeries because of H1N1, as well as some outpatient services so nurses could be redeployed to other units or vaccination clinics.

"We're still seeing hospitals stressed by the number of people who are getting severe illness," said Predy, senior medical officer of health for the superboard. "(Hospitals) are coping, but the number of patients with influenza-like illness is pretty high."

Predy and other health officials have said they believe the peak of the second wave of H1N1 is near, but caution the number of cases requiring hospitalization could rise as people who have the virus develop severe infections.

The comments come as Alberta prepares to open its H1N1 vaccination clinics to seniors.

Beginning today, Albertans over the age of 75 and their spouses will be allowed to receive the vaccinations, followed later this week by all other seniors.

Officials said elderly people are on the Public Health Agency of Canada list of priority groups, noting seniors are at high risk of developing complications if they catch H1N1. They are at lower risk of contracting the disease because seniors are believed to have some pre-existing immunity.

There was some confusion, however, surrounding when clinics, which are restricted to risk groups, will open to the general public.

On Monday, Liepert initially suggested government will offer the H1N1 flu vaccine to Albertans later this week.

"We will be making the vaccine available to the general public starting this week. We want to start with seniors first," Liepert told reporters at the legislature, saying the province believes vaccine supplies are no longer an issue.

But Alberta's chief medical officer of health later said it's not yet clear when he will lift all restrictions on who can receive a vaccine.

Dr. Andre Corriveau said he does not yet know how much vaccine the province will receive for next week.

"We'll make a decision about how wide we open it up based on the uptake this week and how much vaccine we'll be getting next week," he said.

Later Monday afternoon, Liepert clarified his comments, saying he didn't say the clinics would be open to everyone this week.

Liepert did suggest the clinics may open to the general public as early as next week.

"This week, we will have a staged rollout for seniors," said the health minister.

"If we can handle over the next four or five days seniors with no issues, then hopefully next week, or as soon as we can, we would open to the rest of the public."

The Alberta Liberals, who have been critical of the province's H1N1 vaccination campaign, said Monday the government response to the pandemic continues to face numerous issues.

"We've still got serious problems, wasted staff time, wasted vaccine and increasing demands on a health system and hospitals that's close to reaching (their) limits," said Liberal Leader David Swann.

Alberta Health has defended its vaccination program, saying it has immunized 505,000 Albertans against the new flu strain in a short period of time.

Corriveau said it is still worthwhile for Albertans to receive the vaccine, saying a third or even fourth wave of the pandemic is still possible.

In total, 39 Albertans with H1N1 have died. Officials announced Monday a middle-aged Calgary woman with pre-existing health conditions is the latest person with the virus to die.

Alberta Health Services said it is also working with municipalities, including the City of Calgary, to provide the vaccine so firefighters, police and other emergency personnel can be vaccinated.

jfekete@theherald.canwest.com

mlang@theherald.canwest.com

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New Groups Eligible For H1N1 Immunization

- Beginning today, Alberta's H1N1 immunization program will expand to include all seniors over 75 years of age (as of Nov. 1), as well as their spouses or partners of any age.

- Starting Thursday, the campaign will expand to include seniors 65 years and older (as of Nov. 1), as well as their spouses or partners of any age.

- For the information on the targeted vaccination campaign, please see Alberta Health Services' website: www.albertahealthservices.ca

Source: Alberta Health Services

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